Japanese grammar · no level in the source

〜みmeaning and usage

Meaning

Changes A into a noun. It can often be understood as adding '-ness' to the end of an adjective, and can only be used on a small number of adjectives.

How to form it

  • い-adjective stem (without い)み
  • な-adjective (stem)み

How it is used

Turns certain adjectives into nouns, often for a quality you can sense or feel: 「甘み」 (sweetness), 「痛み」 (pain), 「楽しみ」. 「〜さ」 names a measurable degree and works with almost any adjective; 「み」 fits only a limited set.

Examples

  1. このトマトは甘みが強くておいしい。

    These tomatoes have a strong sweetness and taste great.

  2. 先生の言葉には重みがある。

    The teacher's words carry weight.

  3. 外国語が話せることが、私の強みです。

    Being able to speak foreign languages is my strength.